County-wide career day in Raleigh June 8

The Town of Wake Forest will join Wake County and over 40 other city, town, and county government employers at the first-ever Local Government Career Expo on Saturday, June 8, from 1-4 p.m. at the NC State University McKimmon Center, 1101 Gorman St., Raleigh. Job seekers will have the opportunity to attend information sessions on various local government careers, including public safety, business, health sciences, transportation, arts, communications, and hospitality and learn about upward mobility, the mission and purpose of local government careers, and more. Anyone planning to attend is encouraged to register for the event and indicate their career interest at https://logocareerexpo.com/. Information will be shared with participating employers. All participants who register in advance will have a chance to win prizes at the event, including a Fitbit, Apple Watch, Ray-Ban or Oakley sunglasses. Drawings will be held hourly, and you must be present to win. For complete details, visit https://logocareerexpo.com/. ###

Read More »

Triangle real estate monthly update

We have experienced some really hot weather this year!  Are we still in Spring or has Summer arrived early? The local housing market has not been as volatile and is tracking about the same as it has for the last many months. The local numbers are in for April 2024 and here is what is happening: Contrary to what you might hear on the news, I don’t expect significant home price decreases as long as the number of homes listed remains low. Here is an update for the end of April: A year ago, the average sale price of a single-family home in the Triangle was $496,792 and increased $35,890 to $532,682 by the end of April. That is a 7.2% increase. The number of homes for sale was 5,330 a year ago and declined by 409 to 4,921 by the end of April for a decrease of 7.7%. This

Read More »

National Trails Day Walk/Run June 1

The Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources Advisory Board will host a family-friendly 5K/3K walk/run as part of National Trails Day on Saturday, June 1, at E. Carroll Joyner Park, 701 Harris Road. Check-in on the day of the event starts at 7 a.m., and the race begins at 8 a.m. Online registration is available at https://bit.ly/WFNationalTrailsDay. The entry fee for the 5K is $25 before March 31; $30 from April 1-May 14; $35 from May 15-30; and $40 the day before and day of the race. The entry fee for the 3K is $20 before March 31; $25 from April 1-May 14; $30 May 15-30; and $35 the day before and day of the race. Please note: Registrations will be accepted on the day of the event. Everyone who registers before May 15 will receive a race T-shirt. The National Trails Day 5K/3K is a timed walk/run for children and adults.

Read More »

Monthly Inspections Report: April

The Wake Forest Inspections Department issues a monthly report about all new building permits and new businesses. The department issued permits for 61 single-family houses and 39 townhouses ATand four swimming pools. There were four fit-up inspections and 11 pre-occupancy inspections. Fit-ups: Edward Jones at 3319 Heritage Trade Drive. Wakefield ATV at 745 Merritt Capital Drive, Suite 109. D-BAT Academies at 741 Merritt Capital Drove, Suite 110 Piada Italian Food at 529 NC 98 Bypass, Suite 110. Preoccupancy: Innovative Glass Solutions at 1600 Heritage Commerce Court, Suite 104 Chiropractic Wellness Center of Cary at 1740 Heritage Center Drive, Suite 101 Cricket Wireless at 12646 Capital Boulevard, Suite 116 JAK Moulding & Supply Inc, at 744 Merritt Capital Drive, Suite 113 Tri-Lease LLC at 1780 Heritage Center Drive, Suite 202 Big Wheel Realty LLC at 5105 Unicon Drive, Suite F Brickell Enterprises LLC at 620 NC 98 Bypass, Suite 200 Stiles12339

Read More »

The Growth Rate

Based on the March 2024 Monthly Development Report, WF Planning Updated May 29, 2024 Hooray! The March 2024 Monthly Development Report is available on the Wake Forest Planning Department page — and it is a bit of a disappointment. Only one new project — the special use permit for a Whataburger on the NC 98 Bypass in the Wegman’s project — and one deletion — the Christ Our Hope church under construction on North White Street. The updated Wake Forest population as of July 1, 2023 was 56,681. That figure included the new homes which were approved for occupancy. When all the currently approved apartments, townhouses and single-family homes are built the population will rise to 69,956. The town keeps a running tally of approved projects with counts of those completed. The best inspections current estimate is that between seven and eight people move to town each day, moving into

Read More »

Obituaries

Carol Harvell Looper Wake Forest Carol Harvell Looper, 88, of Wake Forest, passed away peacefully Sunday, May 26, 2024 at Hillside Nursing Home in Wake Forest. She was born in the Falls Community, the daughter of the late James Thomas and Ada Lassiter Harvell and was married to Wallace E. “Buddy” Looper who preceded her in death also on Sunday, May 26 in 1992 after 40 years of marriage. Carol was an excellent cook and loved cooking for family and friends. She loved to travel and fondly spoke of her many trips including those to Israel, Alaska, Hawaii, New Zealand and Scotland. She was a woman of deep faith and a lifelong member of Falls Baptist Church where she taught Sunday School. She was also a member of the Order of the Eastern Star. She is survived by sons, Jerry (Wanda) Looper of Youngsville and Jeff (Sandy) Looper of Raleigh;

Read More »

Pride Fest, the Bible and children in Gaza

It was ironic that Tuesday evening, May 21, when the Wake Forest Town Board was confirming its adherence to Title VI, a national nondiscrimination law, speakers during the public comment section of the meeting were urging the commissioners to cancel the first Pride Fest in town. Of the six speakers against the Pride Fest scheduled for October 5 on two downtown streets, at least three were from Youngsville with the others from Wake Forest. Their objections were based on the Bible and called the festival, which bills itself as “kid friendly,” as showing “the depths of depravity.” They were Jonathan Clayton, Josh Keith, Weston Keith, Will Arterburn, Christopher Rogers and Adam Short. “Because of certain funds we receive from the State, we have to meet certain Title VI requirements and include them in our contracts.  This update is a requirement also,” Wake Forest Town Attorney Hassan Kingsberry wrote in an

Read More »

Town Board OKs FNOW curfew, fire trucks

Tuesday evening, May 21, the Wake Forest Town Board, reduced to four commissioners by the absence of Commissioner Keith Shackleford, went through a lengthy agenda in near-record time. The commissioners and mayor spent more time on the proposed curfew for teenagers at Friday Night on White than on most of the agenda items, questioning what age ranges — under 16 or under 18 — and what hours — from 6 p.m. when FNOW begins or from 8 p.m., as well as logistics and costs for the police presence and for administering the fines. Downtown Director Jennifer Herbert said the most recent FNOW was not typical because a thunderstorm disrupted it early in the evening. The town had hired additional police officers from nearby towns, and there were 32 officers on site May 10. Commissioner Adam Wright said he noticed some downtown businesses closing early on FNOW nights. “We want them

Read More »

Star Road project approved, South White denied

There was mixed action on two proposed projects Tuesday evening with the four commissioners splitting on both votes. St. John Properties has been asking for a rezoning to allow six buildings on 30 acres on the east side of Star Road and, until a meeting with the town at the last minute, had refused to plan changes to meet the basics in town ordinances and plans. The Wake Forest Planning Board unanimously agreed the Star Road did not meet town standards. Even after a public hearing where the flawed plan was discussed — but just before the town commissioners would vote on the plan — the owner and developer continued with the flawed plan. Wake Forest Town Planner Patrick Reidy kept recommending that the town commissioners not approve the plan before and after the owner St. John Properties submitted some revised conditions after the public hearing. Those new conditions included

Read More »

Roaring through the 1920s

100 years of history The 1920 Census found that more people lived in towns than on farms for the first time in the nation’s history. In that year, Prohibition began and women won the right to vote. There was prosperity, but agricultural prices were falling. As the decade progressed, there was the Teapot Dome scandal, the Scopes trial in Tennessee and Ford roadsters selling for $260, while the bootlegging industry was estimated at $3.6 billion. Henry Ford revolutionized the workweek, introducing the eight-hour day and five-day week. The mechanical cotton picker was invented, Mount Rushmore was begun and Lindbergh flew to Paris. It was a dizzy time for the stock market and for the economy across the nation. In Wake Forest, the local economy centered on Royall Cotton Mill just outside the town limits to the north, the college on its central campus and the farmers all around town. There

Read More »